DEMAND TRANSPARENCY IN HEALTHCARE PRICING AND MEDICAL BILLING

Ever received a medical bill that was so confusing, you just paid it to escape the headache or avoid ruining your credit? Ever had a test or procedure done only to realize later it was thousands of dollars and insurance won't pay? Ever received charges from physicians you never even met?

Unfortunately, these scenarios are all too common in our U.S. healthcare system.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 25% of U.S. adults struggle to pay their medical bills-this includes those who have insurance. Medical debt is the number one source of personal bankruptcy filings in the U.S. An estimated 40% of Americans have debt resulting from a medical issue. (nhcaa.org)

The New York Times reported that 20% of Americans under 65 (with health insurance) had difficulty paying their medical bills over the past year. Of those, 63% claim to have used up all or most of their savings to pay medical bills, while 42% took on an extra job to cover their costs.

Medical bills are almost always confusing and often full of errors. Sadly, most people will pay for hospital and provider charges they don't understand just to avoid being sent to collections. For those who can't pay, it can often mean financial and personal ruin.

Prices of medical exams, tests, procedures and surgeries are typically undisclosed. Patients have no idea what the cost of their medical care will be until they receive the astronomical bills. To make matters worse, hospitals and providers often bill self-pay patients significantly more than they bill insurance companies and Medicare. It doesn't make sense.

It's time for us, the American people, to take a stand. Let's demand transparency in healthcare pricing and medical bills.